Scholarship 2019 - Dr. des. Dirk Hildebrandt, In die Fläche publizieren. Sigmar Polke's (artist)books

The funded project In die Fläche Publizieren (Publishing in two dimensions) explores a medium that offers new insights into Sigmar Polke's entire artistic production: the (artist) book.
The fact that art is initially in parentheses here is due not least to the fact that Polke's books do not stand out, at least not in the sense of artist books as they are known from the corresponding research – for instance as particularly exalted and expensive 'originals' that above all explore the limits of the book format. Polke's book-like publications appear - mainly as 'wolves in sheep's clothing', i.e. as outwardly rather reservedly designed examples of their genre. Consequently, it is not only a matter of focusing on the individual 'book as a work of art', but also on the manifold contexts in which Polke (re)-turned to the book as a publication medium for his artistic production. This means that not only these books themselves, but also their relationships to neighbouring formats should be examined, the design and publication of which the artist practiced over the course of his career (e.g. newspaper articles, editions, articles in catalogues and magazines). In short, the (artist) book is of interest as a medium that opens up contexts in Polke's multifaceted oeuvre and enables connecting structures to be revealed.
So the 'art' in Polke's (artist) books is not in parentheses here because, for example, its status, its 'artfulness' and its belonging to the artist's oeuvre would be otherwise unclear. Rather, it is about the book as mediator that allows the artist's procedures, which extend to artless (and therefore political) contexts, such as those known from Polke's painting or graphic art, to be made comprehensible in another, different way. In relation to Polke's oeuvre, the (artist) book has different explanatory functions. It not only makes visible connections to artistic and historical, as well as economic and political contexts, but also makes intermedial processes readable. In other words, the (artist) book promises to mediate in a new way between painting, sculpture, photography, film, and church windows, i.e. the forms of expression for which the artist's work is generally appreciated.
Referring to the history of the book as a means of artistic expression or publication in this analysis has the advantage that it brings into play ideas of mediality that are off the beaten track of post-war art history. Unlike painting, for example, the book appears per se as a medium that defines its own subject matter and nature by borrowing from other and different media. In order to be able to represent this 'otherness' in a meaningful way with regard to Polke's art, it is nevertheless indispensable to stick closely to the 'previous' history. Concepts of 'flatness' are available to investigate connections between book and painting. While these concepts, especially under the conditions of the 1960s, were still closely connected to an engagement with painting, the project In die Fläche publizieren investigates an intermedial flatness that is intended to allow the various technical, artistic and contextual interrelationships within Sigmar Polke's work to be followed.